Chapter 12 - THE MOTHER'S FINAL MESSAGE
Naomi Barrett had recorded a message on the morning of her death.
Four years later, Lorraine Parker finally heard her best friend's voice again.
They gathered in Samuel Hale's conference room.
Rebecca sat beside Lorraine.
An investigator placed a secured copy of the recording on the screen.
Imani remained in another room with a trusted child counselor and a member of the legal team.
Lorraine had insisted on that.
Some truths belonged to adults until children were ready to understand them.
The recording began.
Naomi appeared inside her car.
She wore a gray sweater.
Her hair was tied back.
Her eyes were tired.
But her voice was steady.
"My name is Naomi Barrett."
Lorraine immediately began crying.
Naomi continued.
"If something happens to me, I want this statement preserved for the authorities and for my daughter when she's old enough."
She looked directly into the camera.
"Four years ago, Gerald Whitford threatened to take Imani away from me."
Her voice trembled.
"He used false documents and his position inside Mercer Aerospace to make people believe I was unstable."
Naomi swallowed.
"Daniel tried to protect us. Gerald injured him during a confrontation, and afterward, Daniel's memory was affected."
Lorraine closed her eyes.
Naomi continued.
"Vanessa Whitford helped Gerald keep us separated. She took my daughter without permission and tried to arrange a fraudulent adoption."
Rebecca wiped her cheeks.
Then Naomi leaned closer.
"I have evidence that Gerald authorized changes to a navigation system despite serious safety concerns."
She held up a small storage device.
"I've copied the original testing reports."
Her voice dropped.
"I'm meeting someone today who claims they can help me take the evidence to investigators."
Lorraine felt cold.
Someone.
Who?
Naomi hesitated.
Then said something that made the room go still.
"If I don't come home, please investigate Dr. Martin Kessler."
Samuel frowned.
"Who is that?"
Rebecca's expression changed.
"Daniel's personal physician."
The recording continued.
Naomi looked toward the rearview mirror.
A black sedan had stopped behind her.
Her breathing quickened.
"They're here."
She turned back toward the camera.
"Lorraine, if you're watching this, please tell Imani I loved her every day."
Lorraine broke down.
Naomi smiled through tears.
"Tell her she was never unwanted."
A pause.
"Tell her Daniel loved her too."
Then the recording ended.
For a long time, nobody spoke.
Finally, the investigator explained that Dr. Kessler had treated Daniel after his head injury.
He had also signed several medical reports later used to challenge Daniel's judgment during disputes with company executives.
Samuel requested further investigation into those reports and any connection between Kessler and Naomi's final journey.
The following afternoon, investigators questioned Dr. Kessler.
Financial records revealed unexplained payments from a consulting company connected to Gerald.
Kessler acknowledged that he'd been pressured to sign misleading medical assessments.
He also admitted meeting Naomi shortly before her death.
But he denied arranging the collision.
According to his statement, Gerald had demanded that he retrieve the evidence Naomi carried.
When Naomi refused to surrender it, Kessler left.
He claimed he didn't know what happened afterward.
Lorraine stared at Samuel.
"Is he telling the truth?"
"We don't know yet."
Then an investigator entered.
"We found the vehicle from the recording."
Lorraine stood.
"Naomi's car?"
"No. The black sedan behind her."
Samuel looked up.
"Who owned it?"
The investigator placed a registration record on the table.
WHITFORD EXECUTIVE TRANSPORTATION.
Lorraine's stomach dropped.
Then he opened a surveillance photograph.
It showed Gerald standing beside the sedan.
But he wasn't alone.
Another man sat behind the wheel.
A man wearing an airport operations uniform.
Rebecca leaned forward.
Then went completely pale.
"I know him."
Samuel turned.
"Who?"
May you like
Rebecca's voice trembled.
"That's the ground operations supervisor who authorized Imani's flight."
